Flushing valve



Sept. 21, 1937.

FLUSHING VALVE Filed May 28, 1935 '4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FWK H. J. WALKER 2,093,584

' Sept. 21, 1937.

Filed May 28, 1955 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 he? .Za ffzzy%z' 11/622297 v I 6/ y Se t. 2l, 1937. H. J. WALKER 2,093,584

FLUSHING VALVE I Filed .May 28, 1955 4 sheets-sheet 3 @VZWM Sept. 21, 1937. H. J. WALKER FLUSHING VALVE Filed May 28. 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 plane indicated 1-1! in Fig. 4; and,

Patented Sept. 21, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLUSHING ,VALVE Hugh J. Walker, Woburn, Mass. Application ay 28. 1935, Serial No. 23,827

' tolaim (015-137-1041 This invention relates to improvements in flushing apparatus for use in a water closet system, and moreparticularly to improvements in the means for controlling the flow 'oiwater into and out of the flushing tank. i

It is an object of my invention to provide flushing apparatus which eliminates the use of the usual ball check valve and which will oper ate without the noise'and leakage that: are objectionable characteristics of theordinary flush-:-

ing apparatus. w l

i It is further an object of my invention to pro:

vide a flushing apparatus in whichthe. discharge of the flushing water; from the flush-tank willbe l5 continuous without restriction in the flow until the flow is instantly and automatically stoppedwithout the provision of any mechanical valve action. a 1

Astill iurtherobject of my invention is to provide a fiushingapparatus in which the flush tank will be refilled at continuous pressure with: out restriction of the fiow until-the tank is prac tically full, without the objectionable noise caused by a slow-closing refill valve.

Another object of nay-invention is the provision in a flushing apparatus of a-single slidable valve that controls the flushingland refilling op.-

eration. i l l I Further objects and advantages :ofimy im provements will be more readily apparentkfrom .the following detailed description ofa specific embodiment taken l in connection with thej at tached drawingsin which: Fig. l is a plan view of the flush tank; p l Fig. 2 is a sectionalelevationof the rfiush tank; Fig. 3 is a vertical section showing the valve mechanism in normal position;

Fig. l is a vertical section showing, the valve mechanism in flushing position; I I .Fig. 5 is avertical section of the valve mechanism infiushing position; a a

Fig. 6 is a detail section taken on the plane indicated 6-45 in Fig. 3; f I

Fig. '7 is a detail. sectional, view taken, on'flthe Fig. 8 is a. sectional plan view showing the connection between the float lifter arm and the valve. j 1 l The flush tank .I0 is of the usual form and is provided with a water intake pipe I2 and an outlet pipe M which discharges intothetoilet bowl. .Referringto Fig. 3, the intake pipe I2 is shown .connected to a verticalextension pipe 16 within the flush tank, which constitutes a: housing'for -.a slidable sleeve valve 18. The pipe l6 has a shown in Fig. 4 the water from theintake pipe is dischargethrough the outlet pipe 14 until the I water level has droppedbelow the open end of the threaded, flanged coupling member 20 at its lower end, which seats upon a gasket 22, which in turn contacts with the end of the pipe l2.- The coupling member 20 and-gasket 22 are held in position by the coupling nut 2d which has a screw 5 threaded connection "261 with the pipe I2.- The sleeve valve IB has a solid head 28 at its-lower end provided with a circular shoulder '30 which seats against the gasket 22 whenthe sleeve valve is in its normal closed position. It will beap- 1,0 parent that the water pressure in the intake pipe I2 normally acts-upon the valve head 2B to hold the sleve valve inits closed position. The sleeve valve-l8'hasa; hollow tubular'chamher-.32 which is placed in cornmunication'with 15 the intake pipe l2 by the" provision of notched passageways 34, which, when the valve: is inthe position shown in Figripermit flow of the water from the intakepipe into; the chamber32 of the sleeve valve. sleeve andthe passageways "34'; openings-36 may be provided to permit a-reduced flow of the water after the passageways 34 havebeen closed as the sleeve valve :I8' is beingmoved towards its closed position; this reduction of-the flow ,pre- 25 vents pounding of the valve to its seated'position. The extension pipe lB-isconnected to piping 38 within the flush tank, which. terminates in an upwardly directed discharge nozzle all asshown in Fig.2. The piping 38 connects with the pipe l6 through a flattened valve port 42 and the sleeve valve l8.is provided with a notched port 44 which is broughtinto communication with the port42 of the pipe 38 when the valve is in the lowered position shown in Fig; 45. The piping 38 35 maybe provided with a vent 45 toeliminate the syphoningof all the'water inthe tank back to the Water supply if the intake-water pressure should fai1.- The. outlet pipe I 4. is connected {to a syphon tube 46 within the flush tank which has a U-shaped bend 48 above the normal water'level within the flush tank and has a depending leg 50 which receives the nozzle 4ilyasclearly shown in Fig.2..

It will be apparent that the leg 5|] of the syphon tube is open at the lower end to permit how of the water from the flushtank into'the syphon tube. When the sleevevalve I8 is inthe position permitted to discharge through the nozzle All and the upwardly directed jet of water produced in the leg-50 of the syphon tube starts the syphoning action, and the water in the flush tank will Between the head 28 of the valve 20 tube 50, whereupon the entrance of air will break the syphoning action.

A bracket 52 is connected by a sleeve 54 to the upper end of the extension pipe I 6 and constitutes a pivotal support 56 for a lever arm 58, which is connected to a metal float 60 having a screw member 62 and a screw nut 64 at its upper end. The float 60 fits within a float chamber 66 which is fixed to the syphon tube 46 by the bracket 68. The chamber 66 has a flanged opening I0 in the bottom thereof, which loosely receives a guide stem I2 attached to the bottom of the float and provided with a valve portion I3.

The upper end of the sleeve valve I8 is closed as at I4 and provided with a pair of spaced arms 16, cross pins I8 and extend between the arm 16, and constitute supports for rollers 82 and 84. The float lever arm 58 extends between the rollers 82 and 84. The bracket frame 32 also carries a pivot 86 on which is mounted a rockable lever arm 88, which has cam portions 90 and 92 for contacting with the roller 82. The rocker arm 88 is fixed by a screw 94 to a rod 96 which is bent, as shown in Fig. 1, to extend towards the front of the tank.

A flush lever 98 mounted upon the front of the tank I0 extends within the flush tank and is provided with a lateral arm I00. A stop pin I02 is employed to limit the normal position of the flush lever 98 and arm I00.

The intake extension pipe I6 is provided with an additional branch pipe connection I04 having a flattened port I06 and adapted to be brought into communication with a notched valve port I08 formed in the sleeve valve I8. The branch I04 communicates with the filling pipe I06, which extends downwardly in the flush tank somewhat below the open lower end of the syphon intake 50.

When the flush tank is full the valve mechanism will be in the closed position shown in Fig. 3. In order to flush the tank the lever 98 is manipulated to rock the arm I00 and raise the rod 96; this serves to turn the rocker arm 88 about its pivot 86 to bring it to the position shown in Fig. 4. During this movement the cam portion 92 will engage the roller 82 and force the sleeve valve I8 downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 4, thereby opening the sleeve valve against the force of the water pressure in the intake pipe. The rocker arm 88 will be held in this position by the engagement between the cam portion 90 and the roller 82, but the flushing lever 98 may return to its normal position when released.

As previously explained, when the sleeve valve I8 is in the position shown in Fig. 4 the intake Water will flow from nozzle 40, thereby starting the syphon action through the syphon tube, and the tank will empty to flush the toilet bowl. The flushing flow will stop when the water level in the tank drops below the intake to the syphon tube, but the jet from the nozzle will continue and the reduced flow will tend to fill the toilet bowl. As the tank is being emptied the float I6 will slowly drop in chamber 66, since the water in the chamber 66 has a restricted flow through the passage 10. The lowering of the float will cause the arm 58 to engage the roller 84. The float will finally apply suflicient pressure to force the sleeve valve downwardly from the position shown in Fig. 4 to the position shown in Fig. 5; this will take place after the tank has been emptied and the syphoning action has been broken by the entrance of air into the syphon discharge tube. The movement of the sleeve valve I8 to the position shown in Fig. 5 will release the rocker arm 88 from engagement with the roller 82 and permit a return of the rocker arm to its normal position, as shown in Fig. 5. At the same time the notched port I88 will be brought into communication with the port I06 and the intake water will flow through the filling pipe I I0 to fill the flush tank. The Water level will rise in the flush tank until it has reached a level above the open upper end of float chamber 66. It will be understood that the restricted passage 10 will be closed by valve I3 to prevent the flow of water into the chamber 66 to raise the float 60 until the water in the flush tank overflows into the upper end of the float chamber 66. The filling of the chamber 66 will release the pressure of the float upon the sleeve valve I8 and permit the closing of the sleeve valve I8 by the pressure of the intake water upon the head 28. As the sleeve valve is slowly moved towards its closed position the valve port 44 will again be brought into communication with the port 42 of the pipe I6 and intake water will flow through the piping and nozzle 40 to deliver a small amount of water into the toilet bowl, but without filling the pipe sufliciently to start a syphoning discharge from the tank. The flow of water through the discharge pipe will stop after the sleeve valve I8 is moved upwardly so as to stop the flow of the water through the nozzle 40. The sleeve valve I8 will then be brought to its normal closed position, and, as previously stated, the provision of small bleed openings such as 36 will allow the sleeve valve to come slowly to its seated position.

The flushing of the toilet bowl is rapid and thorough. The syphon flush can not be shut off by a defective ball valve as in the old system. The flush tank must empty before the flushing flow is automatically terminated. The filling of the toilet bowl after flushing is insured by the reduced flow through the discharge pipe of the intake water, which takes place in two steps, after the flushing flow and after filling of the flush tank just prior to closing of the intake valve. The flush tank is filled rapidly at continuous pressure from the intake and without the noise occasioned by a slow-closing refill valve.

Various modifications may be resorted to in the practice of my invention without departing from the spirit of my invention as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a flush tank, a water intake-pipe leading into the tank, said pipe having two delivery ports within the tank, one for initiating emptying of the tank and the other for filling the tank, a

valve in said pipe for controlling delivery of water through said ports, manually operable means for moving the valve to one position to flush the tank, means operable when the tank is nearly empty for moving the valve further in the same direction to fill the tank and for holding the valve in said position until the tank is nearly full, said valve being closed by the water pressure when said last named means become inoperative by the admission of water to the tank, said valve consisting of a cylindrical sleeve slidable in the intake pipe and having two ports which are successively moved into operative position with relation to the respective delivery ports of said pipe, and the valve having a third port for the admission of Water from the intake pipe in either of F within the tank, one for initiating emptying of.

the tank and the other for filling the tank, a valve in said pipe for controlling delivery of water through said ports, manually operable means for moving the valve to one position to flush the tank, means operable when the tank is nearly empty for moving the Valve further in the same direction to fill the tank and for holding the valve 7 in said position until the tank is nearly full, said valve being closed by the water pressure when said last named means become inoperative by the 10 admission of water to the tank, said valve consisting of a cylindrical sleeve slidable in the intake pipe and having two ports which are successively moved into operative position with relation to the respective delivery ports of said pipe, and the valve having a third port for the admission of water from the intake pipe in either of said operative positions, and having auxiliary openings permitting a reduced flow of water into the valve after said last named port has been closed.

HUGH J. WALKER. 

